Structures such as homes, bridges, and railroad ties may be negatively affected by the erosion of the ground underneath. In particular, washouts, in which the ground beneath a railroad tie or a bridge is eroded away by flowing water, present a dangerous situation. Prior warnings regarding potential washout conditions are imperative to ensure safety. Washout detectors serve to provide advance warning regarding the conditions. However, such washout detectors need to be cost effective so that a sufficient number of detectors may be acquired and located at various locations, for example along railroad tracks or at the bases of bridges, to detect washout conditions. Cost effective washout detectors are also more practical for home usage. Further, washout detectors applied for such situations, particularly to railroad ties and bridges, must be sturdy enough to withstand both the forces created by, for example, trains passing over the tracks as well the elements to which the washout detectors are subjected.